


Violet

by Tox



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Mute Red, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-10
Updated: 2018-08-14
Packaged: 2019-06-24 17:06:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15635004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tox/pseuds/Tox
Summary: For as long as Blue can remember, Red has been in his life - and been his enemy. Things change, though, and through the course of adventuring through Kanto, Blue finds himself strangely drawn to his silent rival. If only he could be sure Red felt the same...This is a fic covering the length of FireRed, HeartGold, and snippets of Sun and other games. It's basically the story of Red and Blue, how they fell in love, and their lives surrounding that. It's largely going to be from Blue's POV and will feature lots and lots of personal headcanons about Red, Blue, and the world of Pokemon.





	1. Memories

**Author's Note:**

> I have never really touched the Pokemon fandom, nor am I a Pokemon expert - my poke-obsessed fiance got me to play FireRed, though, and I quickly got invested not only in the world of Pokemon, but also in the world of Originalshipping. Blue is so different from Gary, who I was familiar with in my childhood, and is endearing in a way that immediately drew me to him.
> 
> After talking out headcanons with my fiance, I decided I wanted to sit down and just write the story we were coming up with. I want to tell Red and Blue's story, from Kanto to Alola and everywhere in-between. More specifically, I want to delve into Blue's character, his motivations, and the things that make him more than just a cheap bully. 
> 
> I know, I know, he's Green in Japan. My fiance grew up with the localized versions of the game and insists that he's Blue. I don't have a strong opinion, but I'm more inclined to side with him. Besides, what would I call this fic if he was Green? "Brownish-Grey"?
> 
> Anyway, here's the tiny baby prologue. I promise there will be lots more!

They had known each other as long as he could remember.

Stretching back to his furthest memories, Blue could clearly see Red, small and quiet, in every one. He had been there when they were toddlers, learning to walk and play outside their homes; he had been there on the earliest birthday Blue could remember, sitting quietly out of the way; he had been there when Daisy was brand-new, looking down at her in her baby seat; he had been there for everything. And all the while, he had been silent.

Blue had taken offense to it. Was he not worth talking to? He didn’t like being ignored. He had gotten angry.

“Blue,” said Red’s mother, patient and calm even as her son glared at him from behind her skirt, “Red is mute. He can’t speak.”

Too young to understand, Blue had continued to assume Red just didn’t like him. From the very beginning, their rivalry had been built on a foundation of misunderstandings - by the time he knew better, it was too ingrained in him, in both of them. They were enemies. That was just how it was. 

Sometimes, Blue wondered what it would be like if they were something else. 


	2. First Steps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The adventure is off to a shaky start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is sort of experimental. 99% of the dialogue is lifted directly from the game, which, I know, isn't all that exciting. But it will get better! As the story progresses, we'll see more of Blue behind the scenes, and though his dialogue will remain the same where he appears canonically, there will be plenty of fresh, new dialogue outside of those scenes. 
> 
> The original purpose of this story, back when I didn't intend to share it with anybody but my fiance, was to explore Blue's motivations and emotions throughout the canonical timeline. I still want to focus on that, but things may change if I decide it would be better as more of an original thing.
> 
> Enjoy!

Blue stood in the blindingly white room of his grandfather’s lab with his arms folded across his chest, foot tapping on the tile. He had been waiting under those fluorescent lights for what felt like much too long. He wanted to get this over with before -

Too late. The door opened in the front room, and in poked a familiar face, framed by dark brown hair. He looked around, scanning the shelves and desks, eyes ghosting past Blue.

“What, it’s only Red?” Blue barked from the back room, his voice clanging noisily off the walls. As if he’d expected anyone else. “Gramps isn’t around.”

Red glanced at the scientists who were now staring at him, then glared at Blue before retreating and allowing the door to slam shut.

Blue hadn’t quite meant for that to happen. Sure, he didn’t particularly _want_ to hang out with Red - why would he? - but he was only letting Red know that his grandfather wasn’t in the lab right now. Red didn’t have to get so upset. It seemed like that sort of thing was always happening.

“Idiot,” Blue muttered under his breath. Why did Red never understand him?

By the time his grandfather finally appeared, Red trailing behind him, Blue was ready to be done with it. He felt awkward, standing in the lab for so long while the scientists quietly did work around him. Why had he been instructed to come if his grandfather was going to take his sweet time?

“Gramps!” he called through the lab as Professor Oak approached. “I’m fed up with waiting!”

“Blue?” Oak asked, looking genuinely bewildered for a moment. “Let me think…” He tapped his chin, then lit up and smiled. “Oh, that’s right! I told you to come!”

Blue could feel his ears burning. He folded his arms tighter, shoulders hunching in defense. His mother always said that his grandfather was forgetting things in his old age, but how could he so easily forget his own _grandson?_ Sometimes he couldn’t even remember Blue’s name - had even called him _Green_ on more than one occasion. Who did he even know that was named Green?

“Just wait,” continued Oak, almost dismissively, before turning to Red. “Here, Red,” he said, gesturing to a nearby table. “There are three Pokemon here. The Pokemon are held inside these Pokeballs.”

Blue peered around Red to look. There were three Pokeballs, indeed, which he had noticed before while he waited; in front of each was a name and a picture of the Pokemon within. He thought he knew what that meant, but hadn't wanted to assume, especially because Oak was a Pokemon researcher and may have simply been doing work with those Pokemon.

“When I was young, I was a serious Pokemon trainer,” Oak continued in earnest. “In my old age, I have only these three left. You can have one! Choose!”

“Hey!” Blue barked in shock, his gut twisting uncomfortably as he realized what was happening. “Gramps! No fair! What about me?” Had he actually been called here, by his own _grandfather,_ only to be ignored and overlooked? Of course, it was no secret that Oak liked Red, but Blue was starting to think (had been thinking for a while, even) that his grandfather liked Red _better._

“Be patient, Blue,” said Oak with a wave of his hand. “You can have one too.”

Blue glared at Red, feeling more than ever like a complete oversight. Red narrowed his eyes back at Blue, then stepped aside, motioning towards the table. At first Blue had no idea what he wanted, but it quickly dawned on him as Red gave him an expectant look. Was he actually offering to let Blue choose first? Blue blinked, surprised, then quickly regained his composure to save face.

“Heh, I don’t need to be greedy like _you_ ,” he sneered, his voice perhaps a bit meaner than he'd originally intended. “I’m _mature._ Go ahead and choose, Red!”

With a roll of his eyes, Red approached the table.

After a few moments of deliberation (in which Blue could barely keep himself from fidgeting), Red picked up one of the Pokeballs. Oak smiled in response. “Ah,” he said, “Charmander is your choice. You should raise it patiently.” He watched Red for a moment, as if waiting for him to say something, then said, “So, Red, you’re claiming the fire Pokemon, Charmander?”

Red nodded, holding the Pokeball close to his chest.

“That Pokemon is really quite energetic,” said Oak, preparing to go on about Charmander’s qualities when Blue jumped forward and snatched the next ball off of the table.

“I’ll take this one, then!” he said, triumphantly. He had been watching Red think, and had been considering his own choice; he would take whatever was strong against Red’s Pokemon, and _prove_ that he was the best between them. Thus, in his hand was a Squirtle; he raised its Pokeball high and smirked at Red.

Red gave him a flat look, then turned to Professor Oak, who only looked at Blue in exasperation before turning back to Red. Blue suddenly felt uncomfortable again, ears burning with the knowledge that he was being looked down upon. What had he done wrong?

“If a wild Pokemon appears,” said Oak, “your Pokemon can battle it. With it at your side, you should be able to reach the next town.” Blue didn’t know why that was relevant; what did Red even need in the next town?

With another nod, Red placed the Pokeball on his belt, then began to head back for the front door. Blue could feel panic rising in his chest all of a sudden. He was being ignored again, ignored and _disliked._ What had he done to deserve that? What could he do to change it? He looked down at the Pokeball in his hand, then stepped forward.

“Wait, Red!” he called. “Let’s check out our Pokemon! Come on, I’ll take you on!”

Red turned around, looking mildly aggravated, and Blue quickly tossed his Pokeball to the ground as he had been taught. In a flash of light, a Squirtle appeared, blinking blearily into the fluorescent lights of the lab. It looked around, then glanced back at Blue, seeming to size him up for a moment before making a small noise of what sounded like approval. Then it turned towards Red and lowered its head in a defensive stance.

Blue watched it in wonder. Had it actually decided it liked him? Had it _considered_ him and found itself pleased with him? Suddenly he wanted to know everything about it - he would have to ask his grandfather for more information. With luck he would remember anything about the Squirtle, and Blue could know what gender it was, how old it was, how strong it was. He could know it intimately and maybe even gain something close to an actual friend. In the rush of trying to best Red, all those possibilities had flown out of his mind. Now, Blue couldn’t wait for what was in store.

Spreading his feet apart on the tile to enter his own battle stance, Red released his Pokeball, sending a Charmander out into the world. In stark contrast to the Squirtle, it immediately looked ready to go, shaking itself off and looking back to Red before letting out a squeaking growl. What an amazing creature, Blue thought.

A hand came down on his shoulder.

“Oh, for Pete’s sake,” said Oak, wearily looking down upon his grandson. “So pushy, as always.”

Blue frowned. He had participated in simulated Pokemon battles before, and knew what he was doing. How was it _pushy_ to want to jump immediately into battle? That was the whole point of being a Pokemon trainer! To battle against other trainers!

“Red, you’ve never had a Pokemon battle before, have you?” Oak asked. Red shook his head, and Oak went on; “A Pokemon battle is when trainers pit their Pokemon against each other. The trainer that makes the other trainer’s Pokemon faint wins. But rather than talking about it, you’ll learn more from experience. Try battling and see for yourself.”

Blue grit his teeth. He was going to grind Red into the dust.

“Squirtle!” he commanded, and the Squirtle looked back. “Use Tackle!” he said, and the little animal nodded before lowering itself onto all fours and charging Red’s Charmander. It collided with a hearty _thud,_ and the Charmander stumbled backwards, winded, as the Squirtle went back into a fighting stance.

The Charmander turned to Red for instruction. Red, suddenly on the spot, began floundering for a way to communicate what he wanted. Blue saw an opportunity.

“Again!” Blue commanded, and the Squirtle bashed its head into the Charmander once more.

The Charmander looked even more desperate. Red pounded one fist into his opposing palm; the Charmander appeared confused. Blue almost laughed. What was Red trying to tell it? To Tackle back? Charmander didn’t know Tackle!

“Again!” he repeated, and once more the Squirtle rammed into the Charmander.

Oak was reaching for his shoulder again - likely to tell him to stop - when Red mimicked scratching his nails through the air. The Charmander lit up, then turned back to its opponent and lashed out with its claws. The Squirtle reeled back, surprised and injured.

“Inflicting damage on the foe is key to any battle,” Oak said, barely containing his own excitement as Red began to figure things out. Blue narrowed his eyes.

Red nodded, then motioned for the Charmander to Scratch again. It did as it was told, and the Squirtle almost fell over from the force of it. Had Professor Oak _ever_ used these Pokemon in battle? They seemed so fragile… It was entirely likely that they had only been for research. Though somewhere in the back of his mind, Blue had to wonder: what had happened to his grandfather's Pokemon from his days as a trainer?

“Tackle!” commanded Blue once more, and the Squirtle did so, only to be scratched again by the Charmander as Red continued mimicking the move.

Back and forth they went, Tackling and Scratching, grunting and squeaking, getting progressively more worn out. After several minutes of Blue shouting, Red making gestures, and the Pokemon battling, Blue’s Squirtle fell to the ground - out cold.

“ _What?”_ Blue cried in shock. “Unbelievable!” He fell to his knees and reached out, touching the Squirtle for the first time. When it didn’t respond, he pulled it into his arms, cradling it even as he said, “I picked the wrong Pokemon...” He didn’t mean it. He loved the Squirtle already, more than he would ever admit, but - he felt so upset! Couldn’t he just be _better_ than Red?

He failed to notice Red looking down at him curiously.

“Hm, excellent!” said Oak proudly. “If you win, you earn prize money, and your Pokemon will grow. Battle other trainers and make your Pokemon strong!”

Blue frowned down at his Squirtle. It was customary after a Pokemon battle to give money to whoever had won - that was just how things worked. Even small children were encouraged to do so, with whatever they had; the older you got, the ruder it was to not do it. Even though Squirtle was Blue’s first Pokemon, the cultural significance of prize money was not lost on him.

He activated the discarded Pokeball, sending the Squirtle back inside, then dug through his pockets as he stood up. “Okay,” he said as he thrust several crumpled bills into Red’s hand, “I’ll make my Pokemon battle to toughen it up!” He put the Pokeball on his belt, then glowered at Red. “Red, Gramps - smell you later!”

Confident in his parting words and eager to get his Squirtle somewhere it could rest properly, Blue stormed out of the laboratory.

* * *

Later in the day, beckoned back by his grandfather for reasons he didn’t understand, Blue returned to the lab. Red was already there; Blue did his best to appear confident and casual, determined to not let Red know how turbulent the last few hours had been. Though it was steadily growing stronger, his Squirtle had frequently fallen in battle with wild Pokemon on the path to Viridian. Blue had to buy all the potions at the Pokemart just to keep up.

“Gramps, I almost forgot,” said Blue as he approached, hoping his act would pay off. It was his Squirtle’s trouble fighting that had made him so late - he wasn’t that forgetful. “What did you call me for?”

Red glanced at him, then back away as Oak said, “Oh, right! I have a request for you two.”

Blue perked up considerably. Something for _both_ of them? Not just Red? The excitement of not being an oversight was almost overwhelming. Come to think of it, it was kind of a big deal that Oak had even remembered him enough to call him, wasn’t it? This had to be important, whatever it was.

Professor Oak motioned to the back of the room, to a desk against the wall. “On the desk there is my invention, the Pokedex!” he announced with great pride. “It automatically records data on Pokemon you’ve seen or caught. It’s a high-tech encyclopedia!” He went to the desk, and Blue bounced from one foot to the next as he returned to them, a Pokedex in each hand.

“Red and Blue. Take these with you,” said Oak as he handed one to each of them. Blue marveled at its sleek surface and vivid red color. “You can’t get detailed data on Pokemon just by seeing them,” Oak went on as he reached into the pockets of his lab coat. “You must catch them to obtain complete data. So, here are some tools for catching wild Pokemon.”

From within his pockets he pulled out ten Pokeballs. Blue eagerly accepted his five, immediately strapping them to his belt as Red tucked them away in his backpack.

“When a wild Pokemon appears, it’s fair game,” Oak instructed. “Just throw a Pokeball at it and try to catch it! This won’t always work, however. A healthy Pokemon can escape. You have to be lucky!”

Blue looked down at the Pokedex again, shifting it in his hands and watching his reflection on its dormant screen. A handheld Pokemon encyclopedia… His mind was brimming with the possibilities. He could have records of every Pokemon there was, just by encountering and capturing them! He could know _everything_ about Pokemon!

“To make a complete guide on all the Pokemon in the world… That was my dream,” Oak sighed wistfully. Then, with a laugh, he added, “But I’m too old! I can’t get the job done.” His expression turned more serious as he gave Red an intent look. “So, I want you two to fulfill my dream for me.”

He looked to Blue, then back to Red, then stepped forward and began to usher them out of the lab. “Get moving, you two!” he said jovially. “This is a great undertaking in Pokemon history!”

“Alright, Gramps!” said Blue as they came to a stop near the front room. “Leave it to me!” He turned to Red, then, brimming with energy. Finally, here was his chance to show everyone how good he could be. He would earn Oak’s favor, and the love of all of Kanto, and leave Red completely in the dust. No longer would Red be better than him!

“Red, I hate to say it, but you won’t be necessary for this,” Blue sneered. Red frowned at him, then looked down at his Pokedex, examining its display and buttons. Blue thought about what he could do to further his goals. “I know!” he said after a moment. “I’ll borrow a town map from my sis!”

Red ignored him.

Suddenly incensed, Blue clenched his fingers around the Pokedex, lips drawing into a thin line before he thought of something that spread a wicked smile across his face. “I’ll tell her not to lend _you_ one, Red!” he said with a mean laugh. “Don’t bother coming to my place after this!”

As if Red ever did. As if he had ever _wanted_ to.

When that still didn’t get a response, Blue shot Red a glare before storming out of the lab once more. Blue would show him.  
He would show _everybody._


	3. Shocking Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blue can't seem to get anything he wants.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have so many Bulbapedia tabs open to write this. Please appreciate my extensive research.

“Why the heck does that matter? I just want to look around!”

The guard folded his arms across his chest and stared Blue down. Though he refused to back down so easily, Blue felt nervous - this man was twice his size, if not more.

“You need the Boulderbadge to pass,” he repeated. “Those are the rules. I’m not going to let you through this gate without it.”

“I don’t even want to fight anyone!” Blue insisted. “I just want to check it out - can’t you let me do that?”

The guard shook his head. “No badge, no entry,” he said. “You and your Pokemon aren’t ready yet.”

Blue clenched his fists, his pulse racing in his ears. Not ready? Who was some stranger to tell him he wasn’t ready? He just wanted to see what the Pokemon League was like, maybe even meet the Elite Four. What was the use of a badge if he had no desire to battle anybody yet?

“Just turn around and go back to Viridian, kid,” said the guard. “Head to Pewter City from there. Battle Brock. If you win, you can go past me - but you need all eight badges to get to the end of Victory Road.”

“ _Fine,_ ” Blue snapped. “I’ll do that, then. Next time you see me, I’m gonna have all eight badges!” He stared the guard down for a moment, then turned on his heel and stormed out of the small building.

“See you then, kid,” said the guard as Blue let the door slam shut behind him.

Back out in the heat of Route 22, Blue yanked out his Pokedex with shaking hands.

It was a fascinating device, really. Just scanning the Pokeballs containing his Pokemon, Squirtle and Pidgey, he’d gotten complete entries for them in the Pokedex. Already he’d read through them dozens of times, pouring over every minute detail, but it was still fun to go over them again. In his enraged state, it was calming to look at what he had so far, though he desperately wished he had more. He only had a partial entry on Rattata…

Blue sighed and allowed some of the tension to leave his body. It was time to make a plan.

First, he needed that Rattata entry. Then he would head to Pewter as the guard had suggested and battle the gym leader there. It was lucky, he thought, that the first guard wanted the Boulderbadge - that wasn’t the badge the Viridian gym leader gave out, and whoever they were, they had been conspicuously absent for a long time.

Once he beat Brock, he could come back to the gate, but that seemed ill-advised if he would only be stopped at the next gate. No, Blue would get _every_ badge before he came back. Even the Viridian badge… somehow. And along the way, he would encounter and catch every Pokemon he could. That was even more motivating than getting to enter the League was.

Blue had grown up in a family of Pokemon aficionados. It was their lifeblood, the thing that held the Oak family together. His childhood had been spent preparing for the day when he would get his own Pokemon; his parents were often busy with theirs, going on adventures and catching more. Oftentimes Blue had been left in the care of his grandfather, who had impressed upon him the importance of Pokemon and the research of them. Some of his earliest fights with Red had been over Pokemon toys, even.

To put it plainly, the Pokedex was one of the best things that had ever happened to Blue - next to getting his own Pokemon.

Of course, entering the League would still be a big deal. It would be the perfect chance to prove to everyone how great he was with Pokemon. And even then, if he became the _Champion…_ That would be monumental. He would be beloved across Kanto, the fabled best-there-ever-was. It would be a dream come true!

Blue squeezed his Pokedex in his hands, excited by the very thought.

So enraptured by his thoughts was he as he headed back down the path, he almost missed the rustle of grass as someone approached from the other side. Had he kept walking he very well may have crashed right into Red.

As it was, Blue stopped and hung back, watching Red emerge from the brush and look around. Did he even know where he was? Did he know he was just going to be stopped?

Blue considered their interactions earlier at Oak’s lab. It had gotten messy, he thought, and even though Red was a total _jerk,_ maybe it wasn’t entirely his fault. Oak had been the real problem. He was the one who favored Red so much, who gave Red the room he needed to get that big head of his. Maybe if Blue tried to help him out, their future interactions would be easier.

He honestly didn’t hate Red. He never had. Red was just… _frustrating._ Everyone was so nice to him, and he was so quiet, and Blue had only ever wanted to be friends -

He shook his head. This wasn’t the time for that.

“Hey! Red!” Blue called as he strode forward, slipping his hands and Pokedex into his pockets to put forth a casual appearance. Red noticed him, and after a split second of surprise, turned his whole body towards Blue with his hands on the straps of his backpack.

“You’re off to the Pokemon League?” Blue asked as he stopped a few feet away. Red cocked his head to the side, and Blue went on; “Forget about it! You probably don’t have any badges, do you? The guard won’t let you through without them.”

Red slowly shook his head, then seemed to hesitate a moment before tilting his head the other way, gaze intent on Blue. Blue frowned slightly, fidgeting a moment under Red’s scrutiny. He was confused, but about what? About Blue? About why he was there?

His ears went hot as he realized that was probably it. He had just told Red he wouldn't be able to get through - Red was wondering how he knew that, and why _he_ was here. The humiliation of being turned away at the gate came rushing back as Blue tried to think of a response. What could he even say? And why did he have to prove himself to Red?

 _Prove himself._ Of course. His entire goal. He had to prove himself!

“By the way,” Blue said suddenly, cocking his hip forward and taking one hand out of his pocket to rest it at his belt. “Did your Pokemon get any stronger?”

Red visibly tensed as Blue unhooked a Pokeball and held it up with a smirk. He tossed it up, caught it, then threw it to the ground, where it burst open to reveal a Pidgey. The small animal looked around, then glanced back at Blue and cooed.

Readying himself, Red pulled out a Pokeball as well, quickly tossing it to the ground and revealing his Charmander. It looked even more ready than it had before, and growled confidently at the Pidgey.

Blue had expected the Charmander. He knew Pidgey probably wouldn’t stand up to it, and he regretted to put Pidgey in that position, but it would be perfect for taking Red off guard. Once Pidgey was down, he would send out Squirtle, who had learned his first water move in Viridian Forest. The Charmander would do down and he would be victorious!

Of course, Red may have caught something along Route 2… but Blue was confident that nothing would stand up to his Squirtle. The thought that Red may have pushed on and gone into Viridian Forest didn't even cross his mind.

“Okay, Pidgey,” said Blue, “Tackle that Charmander!”

Pidgey charged forward, and though Charmander managed to dodge his first attack (clearly it remembered the fight with Squirtle), Pidgey caught it in the back as it circled around.

Blue expected the Charmander to turn to Red for instruction, and eagerly waited Red’s new attack miming. That didn’t happen, though; instead, Red snapped his fingers, and the Charmander immediately retaliated with a brutal Scratch.

“Woah Red, learning some new tricks, I see!” Blue laughed and put his hands on his hips. He supposed Red had to get around being mute _somehow._ Pokemon couldn’t always turn to him in the heat of battle. “Let’s see that Ember, huh? It has it by now, right?”

Sure enough, Red clapped his hands twice, and Charmander sucked in a deep breath.

“Pidgey, Gust!” Blue ordered, and just as Charmander spat out a small flame, Pidgey flew up and beat his wings hard, sending the flame back in Charmander’s face. The Charmander shook its head, then leapt up and scratched Pidgey again as Red snapped his fingers.

They danced back and forth for several minutes, Tackling and Scratching and Gusting and Ember-ing. Red was exuberant in his movements - he almost moved along _with_ his Charmander, scurrying back and forth across the path as the Pokemon fought. Blue found it almost endearing.

Finally, Pidgey was clearly done with the fight and on his last legs. Blue retrieved the Pokeball and summoned it back, wanting to spare it the experience of completely fainting.

“Okay, Pidgey’s down,” Blue said as he put the first Pokeball on his belt and retrieved his second. “I’m not done, though! Let’s see how you handle _this!_ ”

He tossed the next ball, and out came his Squirtle, much more energetic and even a bit stronger now. The Charmander seemed to perk up, then made a small sound of greeting; Squirtle returned it as he prepared for battle.

However, before battle could commence, Red called his Charmander back.

“Oh, what’s this?” Blue asked teasingly. “You have something better to fight with? Show me what ya got, Red!”

A faint smile graced Red’s lips, and Blue felt his heart speed up. What did Red have planned? Blue fully expected another Pidgey, or perhaps a Rattata. Neither would be strong against Squirtle, but it could still be more of an even fight than Squirtle against Charmander. That was fine - Blue didn’t mind a little sport. He was still sure he would win.

Red sent out his next Pokeball, and it cracked open in a flash of light to reveal… a _Pikachu._

“ _What?!_ ” Blue exclaimed, unable to stop himself. “Where - how - you have a _Pikachu?”_ He stared at Red, aghast, and Red twirled his fingers in a gesture that clearly meant _let’s move this along._ Blue did his best to regain his composure, then smiled.

“Doesn’t matter,” he said, confidently. “I’ve got this one in the bag. Squirtle, use Tackle!”

Squirtle did as he was told, knocking the Pikachu back a few steps. In retaliation, Red clapped two times - the same thing he did for Charmander’s Ember. Did that mean…?

Sure enough, the Pikachu’s cheeks began to crackle with electricity.

Blue sucked in a deep breath as the Pikachu hit Squirtle with Thundershock, in what seemed to be a very effective hit. Squirtle fell to all fours and wheezed. Blue waited, hoping he would stand again, but Squirtle seemed unable to regain his footing and eventually slid onto his belly.

“Awww!” Blue whined, not able to catch himself before the sound left his mouth. He recalled Squirtle back to his ball, then shot out, “You just lucked out!”

Red recalled his Pikachu, then began to put the ball back on his belt. All at once Blue realized it was over - he had lost, and not only that, Red was about to _leave._ Just like that. The thought of Red walking away, leaving Blue in the dust - it was overwhelming, almost nauseating.

Blue dug in his pockets for prize money and tried to think of something to say. A few possibilities ran through his mind as Red stood patiently in front of him. Then, finally, he handed over more crumpled bills.

“I heard the Pokemon League is crawling with tough trainers,” said Blue as Red pocketed the money. “I have to figure out how to get past them…”

Well, crap. He hadn’t meant to say _that._ As if he didn’t know how to get past them! He needed all eight badges, like the guard said.

Red was staring.

Blue floundered a moment, then snapped, “You should quit dawdling and get a move on!” And that was what _he_ was going to do, right then. He breezed past Red and marched out through the tall grass, never once looking back, acting for all the world like he knew exactly what he was doing.

When Red was far out of sight, and Blue had reached the Poke Center, he finally stopped his power-walking and slumped against the building.

“How could I lose?” he muttered to himself as he pulled his Pokedex back out and stared at it. He still didn’t have an entry on Charmander - or Pikachu, for that matter. He needed to get those. How could he, though, if Red kept winning? He couldn’t bear to stick around after a loss, especially not to ask Red to let him scan his Pokemon. That would be _humiliating._

Maybe this journey would be harder than he thought.

Blue sighed and switched the Pokedex on to scroll through it again. He hadn’t even fought Brock yet - could he really start giving up _now?_ The answer, of course, was a resounding no. Even so, he felt demoralized and weak, and like he had failed his Pokemon. How had Red even obtained a Pikachu? He hadn’t seen any in the forest!

None of that mattered now. He was going to travel to Pewter, and fight Brock, and _win,_ and get stronger. He would obtain more Pokemon, fill out his Pokedex, and beat Red a million times over. Now wasn’t the time to quit. It was time to go even harder.

Blue took a deep breath, let it out slowly, then stood up straight and headed inside the Poke Center. His Pokemon needed to rest first…

After that, it was time to train.


	4. Pleasantries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For once in his life, Blue doesn't feel so angry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is where things start to get a little more on the "not quite canon" side, but Blue's dialogue is still all there. I just made everything 100% gayer. Also I took out the Fame Checker interaction because, seriously, that is so unbelievably useless.
> 
> Enjoy!

Blue was still staring down at his Pokedex as Bill quickly ushered him out the door and back out onto the Cerulean Cape.

“Are you sure I can’t just see some of them?” he asked, turning around and looking up at the man before him. “I’d really like some full entries -”

Bill waved his hand. “Oh, maybe some other time,” he said in a rush as he prepared to close his door. “I really have to get back to my experiments. Especially since -”

Something crashed behind him, followed by the delighted warble of his Clefairy.

With a small pout, Blue looked back down at his Pokedex. He’d gotten a plethora of partial entries from Bill’s storage system, and had even had a good few moments of enthusing with someone else about Pokemon; he just wished he could have seen more than the Clefairy while they were talking. Bill’s storage system was cool, but Blue wasn’t very good with computers and really just wanted to see real Pokemon.

“Hey, wait,” he said, looking back up as something occurred to him. “What was that you were saying about the S.S. Anne?”

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll be invited,” Bill said absently as he looked back into his lab. “An accomplished trainer like you… You’ll be fine.”

“Accomplished?” Blue echoed. Did Bill actually think he was doing a good job? Of course, he _was,_ what with his two badges and completing the Nugget Bridge challenge, but… it was nice to hear it. It felt like no one was really impressed by him up until then.

“Sure, sure,” said Bill as something else crashed to the floor behind him. “I really have to go now.” He started to close the door, then peered back out at Blue to say, “Good luck in Vermillion!”

Blue jumped as the door slammed shut in front of him.

He hesitated for a few moments, watching the door, hoping somewhere in his mind that it might open again. When it didn’t, Blue glanced back down at his Pokedex, then sighed and turned back out towards the Cape. The sun was just barely beginning to go down, casting orange lights across the choppy waves below; standing by the fence surrounding the rocky outcropping was a couple clearly enraptured with one another. Blue had seen them on his way up, but they hadn’t noticed him.

He walked to one of the ponds, pocketing his Pokedex as he looked down into the murky water. On the surface was his reflection, staring back at him with wide eyes. Bill’s words still rung in his head - he was _accomplished._ If only Bill had been able to spend more time with him…

Blue put his hands on his hips, still watching his reflection. Did he _look_ accomplished? He puffed out his chest for good measure. That was better, more impressive; maybe it would be a good idea to carry himself more proudly. That gave off the air that he really _was_ accomplished.

Not that he wasn’t. He’d defeated Brock in a snap (Squirtle was a game-changer), and though Misty’s battle had been arduous (no one on his team knew grass or electric moves), Squirtle had pulled through there as well. He had both the Boulderbadge and the Cascadebadge, and a better knowledge of Pokemon overall. He was _absolutely_ accomplished.

Still… As he stared down at his reflection, pondering his appearance, he felt like something was missing. Somehow, he had yet to prove his worth.

“Hey, kid!” called one of the people out by the fence. He sounded positively giddy. “Are you practicing for a big date?”

Blue felt his ears go hot. A date? Who on earth was he supposed to be _dating?_ He was on his Pokemon adventure! Of course, he’d met the odd Pokemon-toting couple on his journey, but he didn’t know how any of that worked out.

“ _No,_ ” he shot back, tucking his fingers into his armpits as he folded his arms over his chest. “I’m just - I’m trying to look like a guy who has two badges!” There. That would impart upon them how important this was to him. He had defeated two gym leaders, after all. 

“What are you doing on Cerulean Cape, then?” called the woman, giggling. “This is a place for couples!”

“Yeah,” said the man. “If you’re here, you should really be with someone.”

Now his whole _face_ was hot. Blue looked back down at the water, silently cursing his red cheeks. Even so, he had to wonder - were they right?

Maybe that’s what he was missing. Maybe, along this journey, he was supposed to have a partner - someone who was more than a friend, or a Pokemon companion. What would he look like with someone standing next to him? And who would that someone even _be?_

Blue frowned. That was just _dumb._ He didn’t even like girls!

“I’ve got my Pokemon, thanks,” he ground out as he stepped back from the pond and back onto the path. “And unless you want to battle, I’m out of here.”

The couple laughed and spoke in low tones together, glancing Blue’s way as he stomped back onto Route 25.

The shrub-maze leading back to Cerulean felt even more frustrating on the way back, even without trainers jumping forward to battle him once they recognized him. If anything, the battles had been an _improvement,_ because they made Blue feel desired, and powerful once he mowed down the opposition. Walking past people who were too busy chatting or going through their supplies to acknowledge him felt… bad. At least going to see Bill had been worth it.

Mostly, anyway.

Blue pulled his Pokedex back out and began scrolling through all the new partial entries. There were snippets of information on Pokemon he’d never before dreamed of seeing for himself, such as Dragonite and Porygon. Even without full descriptions they were fascinating to see. Someday, he would make those entries complete.

Back out on Route 24, before the Nugget Bridge, Blue stopped and considered where to go next. The Rocket grunt he had fought at the end of the bridge smiled cheerily at him, and Blue frowned before looking away. He still didn’t want to join their weird gang. Whatever they were up to, he knew it was no good.

Trekking through Mt. Moon had been hard enough with all the Zubats - running into strange, angry Team Rocket members had been something of a shock. Since leaving Pallet Town, Blue had heard the odd word about this mysterious organization, but meeting them in person had finally impressed upon him how bad they could be. They didn’t battle for sport, that much he could tell, even if they still thrust prize money at him when he won. They pushed their Pokemon to the limit and seemed to be trying to do the same to Blue’s own. How far would they go?

Cautiously, he glanced back towards the bridge to see if maybe he could sneak past the grunt running the trainer challenge.

To Blue’s surprise, the grunt was no longer looking at him; rather, he stared down the length of the bridge, like he was waiting for something. Blue looked down the bridge as well, and when he saw what the grunt had his eyes on, his heart began to pound.

It was Red!

The empty feeling in his chest ever since he’d beaten Misty suddenly vanished. It was like he had purpose again - and that purpose was to defeat _Red._ Forget about gym badges; finally defeating his long-time rival would really prove his worth! And with how well he’d done during those gym battles, and all the ones that came after, Blue was confident that he would win this time.

At the end of the bridge, Red was viewing his map (no-doubt obtained from Daisy - then again, Blue had never actually told her not to give him one). He seemed distracted by that and had yet to notice Blue at the other side. Brimming with energy and excitement, Blue shouldered past a surprised Rocket grunt and marched confidently down the center of the bridge.

It had taken Red long enough to arrive, really. Blue had almost missed him - not in an affectionate way, of course, but in the sense that Red had been a part of his daily life for years by that point. It was strange having him lag so far behind. What was the holdup, anyway?

“Yo! Red!” he called, catching Red’s attention just as his loud footsteps on the wooden planks became impossible to ignore.

Finally reaching the end of the bridge and standing before Red, Blue could barely contain his excitement. “You’re still struggling along back here?” he asked, earning a flat look from Red. He went on in earnest. “ _I’m_ doing great! I caught a bunch of strong and smart Pokemon!”

Only partially true. He had indeed caught a bunch of Pokemon - enough so that he’d had to put many in storage - but their strength was debatable. Squirtle was pulling his team along, with Pidgeotto following close behind; as far as new team members went, he’d finally gotten his Rattata, as well as a mysterious Abra. He wasn’t entirely sure what the Abra had in store yet, but he was sure it would be impressive, coming from a Psychic type.

After a few moments of standing tall and proud, Blue realized Red had lost interest in him and was looking back at his map. He deflated slightly, then looked down to Red’s belt. What would his rival have in store this time?

Blue smiled and perked up again. “Here, let me see what you caught, Red!” he exclaimed. Before Red could respond more than looking at Blue again, Blue pulled his first Pokeball off of his belt and released his Pokemon.

Pidgeotto popped out and immediately took an offensive stance, posturing towards Red even though he still had his map out and no active Pokemon. Pidgeotto had become very territorial since evolving, which mostly worked out for Blue (so long as he didn’t release any other Pokemon at the same time).

Red lowered the map, looking at Pidgeotto curiously. Blue put his hands on his hips as Red began to fold the map back up, then pulled out his Pokedex and aimed it at Pidgeotto.

“It’s Pidgey’s evolved form, genius,” Blue sneered. “Haven’t any of your Pokemon evolved yet?”

With an audible sigh, Red shook his head.

“Ha! You gotta have more now, right?” Blue looked to Red’s belt again; he certainly _seemed_ to have more Pokemon. “C’mon, show me what you have!”

Red pocketed his Pokedex, then pulled a ball off of his belt and tossed it. Much to Blue’s dismay, it was nothing new - only Charmander, who shook itself off and attempted to step forward before being buffeted by Pidgeotto’s wings. The Charmander reeled back, surprised, then lowered itself into a defensive stance.

“Can’t you send out anything _new,_ Red?” Blue huffed. “But fine, have it your way. I won’t go easy on you this time.” He widened his stance, then pointed towards the Charmander. “Alright, Pidgeotto - use Gust!”

With a snap of Red’s fingers, the Charmander leapt up and clawed at Pidgeotto as he beat his wings.

The fight went much the same as it had before, even with Pidgeotto’s added aggression thrown into the mix. Blue was sure Red’s Charmander knew more moves by now, but the only ones he got to see through the course of the battle were Scratch and Ember. After enough of the Charmander’s attacks, Pidgeotto finally collapsed, and Blue summoned him back to his ball.

“Alright, Red,” he said as he retrieved the next ball, “You and your _Pikachu_ ready for a gym-destroyer? He’s not gonna go down so easy this time!”

Red seemed to hesitate a moment, then gave a short nod before recalling his Charmander back to its ball. Blue grinned, then released Squirtle out onto the grass; Red responded by releasing his Pikachu.

Before Blue could give his Squirtle a command, Red pursed his lips and let out a short whistle. Immediately, the Pikachu bolted forward, so fast that Blue could barely keep track of it, and lashed out at Squirtle. Squirtle toppled backwards, then jumped out of the way as Red whistled again.

“Squirtle, Tackle!” Blue yelped, surprised by the Pikachu’s speed and power. How could it be so _strong?_ Squirtle looked back at him, almost helpless, before attempting his attack. The Pikachu bounded out of the way, then began to charge up as Red clapped twice.

Still not used to electricity, but more prepared for it this time, Squirtle withstood the attack and went for another tackle as Blue ordered it. He managed to connect, but it barely seemed to affect the Pikachu, who jumped away before issuing another thundershock at Red’s command.

Within a few minutes, Squirtle was on his last legs.

“No, no, no!” Blue exclaimed, hands on his head as his Pokemon crashed to the ground before him. How could this happen?! His Squirtle was a powerhouse! He panicked a moment longer as Red remained composed, then pulled himself together and recalled Squirtle.

“Okay, that was pretty good,” Blue said, trying to hide the shake in his voice. “But I’m not done yet!” He retrieved his next ball, doing his best to appear confident even though he very much wasn’t. He hadn’t expected the battle to last past Squirtle.

Out of the Pokeball came Rattata, the second-to-newest member of the team, who Blue had high hopes for but hadn’t used extensively in battle yet. He quickly pulled out his Pokedex to check his Rattata’s moveset; luckily, Red didn’t seem intent on having his Pikachu attack yet. Perhaps he was letting Blue go first?

“Alright, Rattata,” Blue called as he shoved his Pokedex back into his pocket. “Let’s show them what we’re made of! Hyper Fang!”

With a determined squeak, Rattata charged forward, ready to administer his most damaging attack - and Red whistled again. The Pikachu darted out of the way, then struck Rattata in the side, sending him tumbling into the grass.

“Oh yeah?” Blue barked, his fists clenched. “Two can play at that game! Rattata, Quick Attack!”

Rattata shook himself, then lunged at the Pikachu, striking it hard. It actually seemed to flinch that time! Blue grinned, assuring himself once more than he would be victorious. He just had to keep his Rattata moving.

Red, now moving excitedly along with his Pokemon, clapped twice.

Unable to dodge Pikachu’s Thundershock, Rattata endured the zap, then jumped forward as Blue ordered another Quick Attack. Back and forth they went, darting around their small battlefield, Red’s audible cues getting faster and louder, interspersed between Blue’s shouted commands. Rattata was keeping up impressively well.

...But not well enough.

With another powerfully delivered Thundershock, Rattata finally went down, and Blue resisted the urge to swear up a storm as he recalled Rattata back into his Pokeball. He had to keep hope - he didn’t know what else Red was packing, but it couldn’t be tougher than his Pikachu, and Blue still had a trick up his sleeve.

As he lifted his last Pokeball, Blue suddenly became alarmingly aware of the fact that they were very much _not alone._ He glanced back, and sure enough, the trainers on Nugget Bridge were leaning against the railings and watching from their posts. Blue absolutely could _not_ let this fight end in disaster.

Strangely enough, though, the trainers barely factored into that feeling. Mostly he didn’t want to embarrass himself in front of Red again.

With his best faux-confident face, Blue released his Abra out onto the field.

The small Pokemon didn’t move at first. It sat on the grass, slumped over, sleeping soundly despite everything going on around it. After a moment, though, it seemed to rouse, and began to look around.

Red cocked his head.

“Oh, don’t get all confident,” Blue snapped as he felt his ears begin to grow hot. “Abra is a Psychic type! I bet he knows all sorts of devastating moves!” He yanked out his Pokedex, frantically hoping there would be more than the only move he’d seen them use in the wild in the hours it took him to finally catch one.

There was not. Only one move was listed on screen - Teleport.

Blue could feel his entire face going red as the trainers behind him began to mutter amongst themselves. Even worse, he could see Red taking out _his_ Pokedex, and soon he would know this devastating fact, too. Why wasn’t he just ordering his Pikachu to fight?! Not that the Pikachu minded - it seemed content to groom itself and sniff at the grass while Red studied Abra.

After a moment of staring down at his Pokedex, Red smiled.

A strange feeling came over Blue as Red’s shoulders began to shake in what very much seemed to be silent laughter. Blue had never liked being laughed at, and took no pleasure in Red one-upping him, but in all the time he’d known Red, he’d never known the other boy to laugh _._ He smiled sometimes, sure, and Blue had seen him having fun on more than one occasion, but none of that was anything like _this._

It should have been infuriating. It should have made him that much more determined to win. As it was, Blue found Red’s mirth infectious.

“Okay, yeah, he only knows one move,” Blue said, trying to hide his smile. “Bet you can’t hit him, though!” The Pokedex said Abra read minds, and would Teleport to safety if it was about to be hurt. If his Pokemon didn’t faint, he didn’t lose, right?

“Alright, Abra,” he said, more jovially than intended, “Use Teleport!”

Abra didn’t immediately respond, instead choosing to continue looking around the field. Then, slowly, he turned his head and gazed back at Blue. Even with his strange closed eyes, Blue felt like Abra was staring right through him.

“Hey, don’t read _my_ mind!” Blue barked as Red doubled over, still laughing. “Read Pikachu’s mind!”

Upon hearing its name, the Pikachu perked up, ears alert. Red had to grab his knees to support himself. He was having such a good time - had he ever enjoyed himself so much? Blue certainly hadn’t seen it if he had. It was almost regrettable, really; something deep inside of him yearned to make Red that happy on a regular basis. It was more fun seeing him like this than seeing him annoyed and agitated. Plus, watching a mute person silently laugh up a storm was kind of funny.

Abra was still watching him. Blue realized that he was smiling, and hastily tried to wipe the look off of his face as Abra cocked his head. What on earth was so interesting in his mind? He stared back at Abra, willing him to _do_ something. Teleport as instructed, or unleash some hitherto-unknown attack - _anything._

Suddenly, Abra disappeared.

There was a brief moment wherein Blue felt victorious - Abra had listened to him! Surely he would Teleport out of reach, or above Pikachu to land a devastating attack -

Then Abra re-appeared, and Blue felt his stomach tighten into a horrible knot as his face went absolutely scarlet. Red, confused by the sudden reaction, looked around for the source of Blue’s humiliation before suddenly realizing something was touching him. He looked down in surprise to find Abra nuzzling against his leg.

Blue was positively horrified. Nothing about the situation made sense. Abra wasn’t known as an affectionate Pokemon, was it? Why would one cuddle up to an opposing trainer? Blue thought Abra may have read his mind, but he wasn’t thinking about cuddling Red! He wanted to _fight!_ He wanted to show Red he was capable and strong and _better_ than him! How was nuzzling Red’s leg an appropriate response to that?!

“What are you _doing?_ ” Blue wailed, his voice cracking on the last syllable. “Stop that! _Teleport!_ ”

Still looking down at Abra (who didn’t budge), Red hid a smile behind his hand.

“Oh, laugh it up,” Blue grumbled. And yet, despite Red’s mirth at his expense, Blue still felt nowhere near as angry as he thought he should have been. There was something endearing about seeing Red so off-guard. And in the midst of their interaction, their sort-of battle, it was hard for him to step back and examine those feelings. They were just _there._

After a few moments of being amused, Red suddenly leaned over and carefully put his hands on Abra. Blue watched, surprised, as Red removed Abra’s arms from around his leg, then picked him up and began to walk across the few feet separating them. Abra seemed perfectly content in Red’s arms, though rose no fuss as he was offered back to his owner. Blue could only stare as Red held Abra out towards him; when he didn’t immediately take his Pokemon back, Red gently set Abra down at Blue’s feet, then turned around and walked back to his Pikachu.

Blue was still trying to parse what had just happened when Red entered a battle stance, and seeing its owner do so, the Pikachu did the same.

“Hey! Take it easy!” Blue exclaimed, holding his hands up in defense. It was too late now for him to accept anything but defeat. Abra wasn’t going to do anything useful, and his dignity was long gone. “You won already,” he added as he activated Abra’s Pokeball.

Red relaxed, then gave his Pikachu a thumbs up as it turned to look at him. It chittered excitedly before Red recalled it back into its Pokeball as well.

As he closed the distance between them, Blue dug through his pockets once more, fishing for winnings from previous battles (he really needed to get a wallet). Rather than shove the bills and spare coins into Red’s hand, this time Blue handed the winnings over more gently. Red stuffed them into his own pocket - did _he_ not have a wallet either?

A moment of tense silence passed as Blue desperately tried to think of something - anything - to say. It was then that he remembered Bill; he had almost forgotten entirely about their encounter on Cerulean Cape.

“Hey, guess what?” said Blue as Red straightened his backpack and grabbed the straps, prepared to move on. “I went to Bill’s and got him to show me his rare Pokemon. That added a lot of pages to my Pokedex!” He grinned, proud of himself, just barely resisting the urge to pull his Pokedex out to show off.

“After all,” he continued, upon seeing that Red was still paying attention, “Bill’s world-famous as a PokeManiac. He invented the Pokemon Storage System on PC, too.”

That seemed to pique Red’s interest. He tilted his head slightly, glancing down at the Pokeballs at his belt before meeting Blue’s eyes again. That made Blue wonder; how many Pokemon had Red caught?

“Since you’re using his system, go thank him,” he said, jerking his thumb back towards Nugget Bridge. It seemed fair to Bill to send Red his way. The guy deserved more recognition for what he’d done. And he was so nice! On top of that, throwing Red Bill’s way could be beneficial to Red, too. For once, after a devastating loss, Blue didn’t really feel angry; that in and of itself warranted being helpful, he thought.

Perhaps in thanks for his helpfulness, or maybe just because it was nice to see Blue in a good mood, Red smiled.

Blue’s brain all but stalled out.

Red laughing at him, well, that had been a curse and a blessing, hadn’t it? It was nice to see Red happy (for some reason), but it was annoying to be the source of laughter. This, though… a smile, directed specifically at _him…_ That wasn’t annoying at all. It was nice, actually. A ghost of what Blue had always wished they could be, deep down.

And yet, at the same time, suddenly it all came crashing down around his burning ears.

He had _lost,_ but here he was feeling sappy over _Red._ Red! Of all people! His sworn enemy! The one who had just made him a laughingstock in front of every trainer on Nugget Bridge! The one who kept beating him, kept showing him up, kept taking other people’s affections, kept _smiling_ oh _god_ why was he still _smiling_ and why was Blue _smiling back?_

For one panicked second, Blue had no idea what to do, or where to go, or what to even _say._ He was supposed to be _angry,_ but here he was, smiling pleasantly back at Red even as sweat dripped down the back of his neck.

“Well,” Blue said, suddenly breaking the silence, “I better go rolling!” He stepped around Red, giving the other boy a brief pat on the shoulder as he added his customary phrase, “Smell ya later!”

And with that, he marched off with great purpose, all the way down to the small ledge beside the Pokemon Center. As to not break his stride, Blue jumped down, then turned to the right, finally stopping once he was safely hidden behind the building.

Immediately, he slumped against the nearest wall and put his head in his hands.

 _Go rolling?_ What did that even _mean?_ And why was his heart beating so fast? He could barely think, could barely move on from the roiling turbulence in his stomach. The worst part about it all, the most aggravating, outlandish fact, was that despite his sudden emotional break and overwhelming loss at Red’s hands... the encounter had been _enjoyable._

Gone were feelings of helplessness and defeat. Instead, Blue felt _pleasant,_ like they’d just spent a nice afternoon together, pitting their Pokemon at each other for fun. Where was his competitive spirit? His drive to win?

Cautiously, Blue lifted his head and looked around. Red certainly hadn’t followed him, nor had anyone else. He was alone to have his crisis. It was both relieving and agonizing; he didn’t want Red to know how much of a mess he was, but he also hated feeling alone, and wished there was someone - _anyone_ \- he could talk to. Blue had never had many friends; Pallet Town was small, and the route to Viridian was treacherous without a Pokemon. And now, so far from home, he had even less than before.

He had nobody.

As he slid down the wall to sit on the ground, Blue sighed and shook his head. That wasn’t quite right, was it? He had his Pokemon. No matter what, he always had them. And his grandfather was only a call away, wasn’t he? And then, of course, he had Red. Sure, they were rivals, and Red could be infuriating, but he was still _there._ Maybe not in this moment (in which Blue was well and truly alone), but in general, Red was always just a few steps behind.

After a few moments of staring down at the ground in thought, Blue unhooked Abra’s Pokeball from his belt and held it up.

“Why did you hug him?” he asked the Pokeball. “Why did you act like you were reading my mind, and then…”

He fell silent.

Was it possible that -

“Hey, kid,” came a gruff voice from the nearby road.

Blue looked up from his Pokeball as an officer strode across the grass towards him. Immediately he was in a panic - had he done something wrong? Was it illegal to loiter around Pokemon Centers?

“Have you seen any suspicious figures around here lately?” asked the officer as he stopped a few feet away. “We had a burglary a few houses over. We suspect Team Rocket, but…”

Blue blinked, then glanced in the direction the officer had come from. A burglary…? In a small town like this? Then again, there was a Team Rocket grunt heading the Nugget Bridge. Maybe this was a place they liked to converge at.

“Uh, no,” he said with a shake of his head. He considered outing the one at the bridge, but was worried the grunt would somehow know it was _him,_ and he didn’t need Team Rocket on his head. Hopefully that whole mess would get sorted soon. He’d overheard nasty things about what Team Rocket did to Pokemon since leaving Pallet Town.

“Alright, well, if you do - give us a holler,” said the officer, tipping his hat before continuing on his way.

Blue watched him go, then glanced in the direction of the burglary again. The gym was in the way, but as he recalled, there was a path wrapping around to the last house on the block…

Hooking Abra’s Pokeball back on his belt, Blue lifted himself to his feet. He would need to go into the Pokemon Center first, after that battle with Red, but after that, it was time to explore further and see what he could find. After all, he still had so many Pokemon to discover…

And so many new encounters to have with Red.


End file.
